Meant To Be
by btvsbaby75
Summary: Buffy is a princess, Spike is a prince. Completely AU. Spike doesn't know Buffy's a princess...my first fic. hope it doesn't suck
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth darted through the crowds in the throne room. She was supposed to meet with the king to discuss her new duties five minutes ago. "You wanted to see me, your highness?" Elizabeth curtsied.  
  
"Yes, Beth. You are now responsible for taking care of my baby niece. She was recently orphaned, and is under my protection for the time being. My son, William, will help you take care of her."  
  
"Of course, my lord."  
  
"William."  
  
"Yes, Father?"  
  
"Please escort Beth to where Dianna is staying."  
  
"Of course, Father. This way, Elizabeth." William firmly, but gently, took Beth's arm, and he escorted her out of the throne room. They passed through many halls and past many closed and sealed doors until they reached a hall where there hung on the walls portraits of children and infants.  
  
"This is Dianna's room." William knocked on the wooden door, and a servant opened the door. "Mother!" he exclaimed, crossing the threshold to where a woman sat, holding a baby. "This is Elizabeth, she is taking over the charge of Dianna."  
  
"We thank you for your generosity, Beth. I'm sure this is going to cut into your other duties."  
  
"Not at all, my lady. My lord the king informed me that taking care of his niece would be my only duty."  
  
"Well, then. Would you like to hold her?"  
  
"If you do not mind, my lady."  
  
"No, no. I've been holding her for a while now. My arms do get tired sometimes."  
  
"I understand completely." Beth lifted Dianna from Queen Drusilla's arms, and she settled herself in one of the chairs. "If you'll excuse me, William, and Beth, there are things I must attend to."  
  
"I'll see you later then, Mother." William gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, and she departed. "Is everything alright, Beth?"  
  
"Yes, everything's fine. Dianna reminds me of my little sister Dawn. I haven't seen her in a while, and I'm getting just a bit homesick."  
  
"Oh, well.um.I wish there was something I could do about that."  
  
"Don't bother. My family is in the land of Shia. It's where I grew up. I miss it so much, but I should be seeing my family again soon enough." Beth sighed, her shoulders slumping.  
  
"Well, Beth, I'm sure you'll become accustomed to Olympia soon enough," William grinned at her. "And if you don't."  
  
"What will you do?" Beth seemed deadly serious, but a mischievous smile belied her tone of voice.  
  
"I'm actually not sure yet. But I'll find something. Hmmm, maybe tours, no, ah-ha! Museums! Every single day."  
  
"My lord. Are there not things a prince is required to do?"  
  
"You forget, I was told to help you with Dianna. And." He put a finger up to his lips conspiratorially. "I'll get someone else to do the things I have to."  
  
"How clever. Get the servants to do the prince's work." 


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Elizabeth took Dianna out to the castle gardens. Spreading a blanket over the grass, she put down Dianna and opened the picnic basket. After she opened the basket and removed the food, she scooped up Dianna, who was wriggling away towards the edge of the blanket. As Beth was feeding Dianna, a shadow crossed over them. Beth looked up and realized that it was Prince William.  
  
"Good afternoon, my lord. Would you care to join us?" Beth asked.  
  
"If you don't mind." William lowered himself to the ground beside her, and took a now sleeping Dianna from her arms. "May I have some?"  
  
"Go right ahead."  
  
"So.have you seen the fountains nearby?"  
  
"I haven't had the time to see them yet. But I've heard they're beautiful."  
  
"I'll show them to you." He gave Dianna back to her, and offered her a hand up.  
  
What Beth had heard was true. The fountains were beautiful. Elizabeth's favorites were of a maiden pouring water from a jug on her should and of a dolphin spouting it from his mouth.  
  
"The sound of running water is so relaxing, don't you think?" asked Beth.  
  
"Yes, it is. Come on, I want to show you something."  
  
William pulled Beth along a path that led deeper into the gardens. Turning off the path to the right, he led her into the woods itself. Finally, they reached a clearing. Towards the far end of the clearing there stood a cottage. It had a chimney on the left and a little stoop in the front. A path of stones led to the front door, lined on both sides by flowerbeds that were now choked by weeds. The windows had lace curtains and shutters. The cottage itself was white, but the shutters and door were green.  
  
"I used to come here a lot as a child." William's voice was wistful.  
  
"To escape your world?" asked Beth.  
  
"Yes, and I used to pretend."  
  
"Pretend what?" Beth shifted Dianna in her arms.  
  
"Pretend that I wasn't me."  
  
"I understand. As a child, I used to pretend I was a princess. Could we look inside?"  
  
"Of course. No one has lived here since before I was born."  
  
The inside of the cottage was musty. Cobwebs hung in every room, creating a deserted look.  
  
"Ah-ah-achoo!"  
  
"Bless you, Beth."  
  
"Thank you. Could we leave now? I don't want Dianna exposed to this for any longer."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
^_^  
  
When they returned to the site of their picnic, no trace of it remained. Everything that Beth had brought out had been removed.  
  
"D'ya think they're trying to tell us something?" asked William.  
  
"Such as, 'just because you don't work the same as us, doesn't mean you can't clean up after yourself'?"  
  
"Something like that."  
  
"This is absurd. We're trying to think like people we're not."  
  
"You're right, Buff-I mean Beth. Shouldn't Dianna get her nap round this time?"  
  
"Yes, it's the right time. What did you call me, by the way?"  
  
"I started to say Buffy, instead of Beth. And you can call me William."  
  
"Okay, William. But I like Buffy. You can call me that, if you want to."  
  
"I think it suits you better. Now, shall we put Dianna down for hr nap?"  
  
"We shall."  
  
William and Buffy spent all of their days together, taking care of Dianna. Since he had given her a new name, she began to call him Spike, because his hair spiked in the wind. Eventually, Spike and Buffy began to fall in love. 


End file.
